Natural Resources race is on
Students gathered at noon on Wednesday in the atrium of the Natural Resources building to hear Arthur Wallis and Lacey Wilder battle for the spot of Natural Resources senator.
Out of four initial candidates, Wallis and Wilder advanced past the primary elections and into the finals. Because the unopposed candidate, Patrick Adams, withdrew during regular elections during the last week of February, the senatorial race needed to be reopened.
Both candidates showed appreciation for the college and focused on attracting more students to the program.
“I found this college and I knew I had to switch,” Wallis said. “One thing I like about this college is it’s not just animals. There’s a lot of research that goes on. People need to know that if you want to be a scientist, this is the college to be in.”
One of Wilder’s main goals to attract students is aimed at marketing and public relations.
“I really want a good PR push for this college,” she said.
Though both candidates said they want to unify departments and clubs, both had different, specific goals.
Along with an improved marketing strategy, Wilder wants to provide students with more guest speaker opportunities as well as future jobs and internships.
“What I’d really love to try and implement is to have a delegate from each club, each college, one person who can really do it and have them meet and bounce ideas off each other,” Wilder said.
Wallis said he wants to make the opportunities available more accessible to students.
“We already have a lot of good programs in place,” Wallis said. “We already have great internships and opportunities, but maybe not everyone knows about them, especially the first- and second-year students who don’t have too many classes in this college.”
Wallis said he wants to work to install a drinking fountain with a water bottle filling station in the Natural Resources building and know at least 80 percent of students by name.
A student in the audience questioned the feasibility of the latter goal and wanted to know how Wallis planned to facilitate it.
He told the girl he would show her and walked over, shook her hand and asked what her name was.
“I think it’s important that I make a connection to the person,” he said.
He plans to use this goal to help represent the 595 students in student government affairs. Wilder has a different plan for representation.
“Let’s be honest: You can’t have one person represent 500 people,” Wilder said. “You have to have delegates. You have to have people working with you. You have to be available to have people come to you.”
Voting opened 7 a.m. on Wednesday and closes at 3 p.m. on Thursday. The final announcement will be at 4 p.m. in the Natural Resources atrium.
– daniellekmanley@gmail.com
Twitter: @daniellekmanley